Happy 500th Birthday John Calvin!

I thank God for your tenacious committment to the Word of God.
I thank God for your passionate pursuit to make much of Jesus Christ.

The Importance of Unity

John Calvin commenting on Ephesians 4:

"We must keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. For here he puts down the unity of the Spirit as a mark that is required in the church and flock of God, insomuch that if we are divided among ourselves, we are estranged from God. And with this, he shows us what we have seen briefly before, which is that if we are not at one among ourselves, God disclaims us and tells us we do not belong to Him. This unity therefore is something which ought to be valued nowadays seeing it is the way in respect of which we are acknowledged as God's children."

Quoted in John Calvin: A Heart for Devotion, Doctrine, and Doxology, p. 127.

I Want to Be Gentle Like Calvin

Sinclair Ferguson on evidences of John Calvin's gentleness (as a reflection of his Christlikeness):

1. In his restraint of personal malice to those who opposed him.
2. In his empathy for those who suffered.
3. In his concern to show respect to others.
4. In his gracious attitude toward others.

John Calvin: A Heart for Devotion, Doctrine, and Doxology, p. 37.

Calvin's Preaching

Regarding John Calvin's aim in preaching:

"He was a man who preached not himself, but the Word of God (2 Tim. 4:1-2). According to Parker, Calvin "had a horror of those who preached their own ideas in place of the gospel of the Bbile: 'When we enter the pulpit, it is not so that we may bring our own dreams and fancies with us.'" Calvin was not concerned with offering to his congregation the quaint meditations of his own heart. Although it has become popular in many churches for the pastor to strive to "pour out his heart" to his congregation, such was not Calvin's aim in his preaching, for he had offered his heart to God alone. As a result, Calvin did not think it was profitable to share the ever-changing passions of his own heart, but to proclaim the heart of God in His never-changing Word. Calvin was not concerned that his congregants behold him but that they behold the Lord...Such was Calvin's aim in his preaching and in all his life."

-Burk Parsons, John Calvin: A Heart for Devotion, Doctrine, and Doxology, pp. 7-8.

2 Encouragements for Calvinists

In his forward to John Calvin: A Heart for Devotion, Doctrine, and Doxology, Iain Murray provides 2 encouragements for those who call themselves Calvinists:

1. Make sure your theology manifests itself in piety and godliness.
For too long, humility and Christ-likeness have not been the marks of Calvinistic beliefs. Often, Calvinists are thought to be cold, lifeless, and rude. This should not be.

2. Make sure you are an example of the fact that belief in divine sovereignty does not weaken evangelistic preaching.
We must clearly preach the gospel and call men and women to repentace and faith in Christ. We must press people to embrace Christ and clearly spell out the reality that we are responsible for our sin and unbelief.

Piper on John Calvin

John Piper's little biography on John Calvin is now available.

Happy Birthday John Calvin!

Piper says your preaching inspires him to press on in the glorious task of proclaiming the Word of God.
I thank God you were willing to stand for the truth of the gospel in spite of all it cost you. I bet those costs seem like nothing compared to the glory of the Savior now (2 Cor. 4:17-18).

Holding Firm to the Simple Doctrine of the Gospel

"We must be subject to Christ alone, he must be our only Head, we must not turn aside a hair's-breadth from the simple doctrine of the Gospel, he alone must have the highest glory, that he may retain the right and authority of being a bridegroom to us."

-John Calvin

Wise Counsel

"When we are unjustly wounded by men, let us overlook their wickedness, remember to mount up on God, and learn to believe for certain that whatever our enemy has wickedly committed against us was permitted and sent by God's just dispensation."

-John Calvin, Institutes, p. 221